Shipping Containers Turn Affordable Homes

Using shipping containers to create affordable housing is an emerging trend. Our designers had a chance to be a part of the movement.

A little while ago Arcbazar partnered up with Ujenzibora, a real estate consultancy based in Nairobi, Kenya, on an exciting project - affordable housing solutions to first-time home owners. Due to the nature of the project, it only made sense that the designs would be crowdsourced with the public taking an active part in the voting process - architecture democratized at its best. 21 designers and architects took part in the competition with submissions coming in from the US, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, Indonesia, Nigeria, UAE, Chile, Israel and a half a dozen other countries. 385 people, including family and friends, fellow architects and various experts, weighed in on the designs. As you can imagine, the competition drew in some truly amazing designs. Today we are focusing on one of them. While it was not selected the winner, it is truly magnificent. The mastermind behind this submission is d'SHAPE.

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Competition: Compact Shipping Container Home - Nairobi, Kenya

The client's aim was two-fold:

To purchase a 40ft container (2No.) and use them as is(or with slight remodeling) for storage of commercial goods.

Maximize use of the space in between for multiple purposes (Bedsitter, office, kitchen, shower)

"The land is virgin land with no existing structures," explained the client. "We wish to construct a simple but elegant bedroom with a side office all approximately 40 square metres bound one any of the sides or part thereof with two shipping containers."

Competition: Compact Shipping Container Home - Nairobi, Kenya

We love the simplicity and elegance of the design. Using natural materials, the bedroom takes advantage of every inch of the small space and looks spacious as a result. Considering the goal is to create affordable housing for first-time owners in Kenya, clutter and luxurious furniture were not an option. The designs submitted proved that you can create a space that looks and feels expensive on a budget.

Competition: Compact Shipping Container Home - Nairobi, Kenya

We definitely recommend to check out the rest of the submissions. You can draw much inspiration for the interior of small spaces and affordable design.